The Cambodian Immigration Incident

Crossing the border into Cambodia was always going to be a little stressful. It involved getting a minibus to the border, then walking over the border, declaring our departure to Thai immigration and then walking up to the Cambodian immigration, getting cleared and then getting a taxi to the nearest border town, at whatever cost the taxi driver chose. We had also prepared ourselves for crooked immigration workers, which we had read, tend to have mysterious surcharges added to the cost of the visa.

We were prepared. Nicola had done her research and knew we didn't need to pay anyone to carry our bags the short distance, or buy an immigration form off anyone. She also knew the cost of a Cambodian visa was $20US and that we didn't need to pay a penny more. We glided through all the initial stages without any hassle and then entered the Cambodian immigration office. It was a sparse room, with a window, bare walls, a door off the back and two desks. There was a man and a woman working, both probably in their mid 40's and in military uniform.

Everyone was smiles to start with and then we were told the visas has to be paid in Thai Baht, and the cost was equivalent to $40 each. I didn't think that seemed right, after what Nicki had read online, but my higher reasoning summed up that it was the lady saying this, so it was likely true (how has my naivety not got me into trouble before now?) I was going to mumble some line like I was sure it was supposed to be less, while digging out the money when I turned to Nicki, who with a calm manner replied, "no, it's $20 US for the visa, I checked this"- "no, it's 1400 Baht each that is what it costs". Further repetition of the facts from Nic, - "It is $20 if you arrange the visa in advance, it is 1400 Baht at the border". - "No it is not". Voices are starting to rise now, the man at the back, who has our passports is starting to listen more closely. "Okay, $30 each I do for you". - "No, the cost is $20 I checked this online, I know what it's supposed to cost. I spoke to your boss, It costs $20 and that's what I'm paying". The man takes an interest now and speaks up. "Why did you not do this on the internet, $20 is the cost for doing it online, and then you come here, you have piece of paper with number and is all free, but here you have to pay $30, that's the price". The whole time I have said nothing. The lady thinks I'm an idiot because I keep smiling with a slightly scared look on my face, but there is simply nothing I can add, Nic has all the lines, or rather the one line, repeated. A few more assertions from Nic, I try and nod and look assertive, from the shadows. "You cannot get visa here. You will have to leave passport and come back in three days. This needs to be sent away and processed". It occurs to me there is no further mention of $30 and I wonder if we should have just paid it and be done. I'm not going to dare suggest it though, Nic and the Lady have locked horns, there's going to be no capitulation here. "No. We can get the visas here, and you're going to do them for us just now and we're going to pay $20 each". - "You must wait outside". We stall a bit, he has our passports, and our $20 each. Outside that door wait a dozen taxi drivers who will prey on us like vultures, and will know exactly what our situation is and find it of much merriment. "Go, go. Go on, outside. You must fill out a form next door". Finally I have something useful to say, I hope my dumb smiling has won me at least one favour, "Can we leave our bags here?", "Yes, (exasperated) Go Go", waving of hand. We find the form but we need our passport numbers, this seems like a good excuse to get back into the room. We don't like being separated from those little books. They don't seem to notice that we have re-entered or they don't care. The man is sitting again, flicking through the passports, a form in front of him. The lady stands looking out the window. I approach and look over his shoulder. Like a school boy protecting his work from being copied he hunches over the paper and shouts at me "Why do you not do what I say? Wait outside, I am working". I state that I need my passport number. "No passport number, wait outside - go, go out now." He has become quite irate. "Take your bags", I remind him he said we could leave them, "No, take your bag, we're not responsible, now go outside and wait there". There's nothing else to do. We stand in the searing sun surrounded by drivers who have got the gist of the events from the lady who came out and clearly told them about us in Khmer. We can't go anywhere or do anything, we have our bags on our backs and an increasing sense of doom.

Then this very eccentric old lady appears and in a rather confused state wanders into the room. She is Swiss, and speaks in a very posh English teacher kind of a way. As the door closes behind her we hear her asking how to get to the town from where she is. Presumably the trail of drivers that have followed her have not given her a satisfactory answer. The other drivers hovering around us, rub their palms in anticipation. She is bundled out a moment later and the officious lady takes our completed forms off us and vanishes back inside. The mad old lady then starts asking us how she is supposed to get to the town. We weren't really needing this just at the moment. It was apparent we were going to be obliged to offer her a share of our taxi but we knew that she would seriously affect our bargaining position, as she had suitably chastised a couple of drivers already.

Now we're suddenly trying to stop an escalating taxi fare, while our passports are in uncertain hands. We've reached a stalemate with the drivers. We know the fare is too high, they know it is too, but they think the lady will accept it and we'll have to pay a share equivalent to the standard full rate anyway, and we'll have to accept because there's no alternative, and besides, it's what we would have paid. It turns out though, the mad old lady only has 100 Baht in notes. "This will be enough won't it?" she asks us in confidence, for everyone to hear. In a civil world it would be yes, but stuck at a remote border crossing, no chance! We're going to have to split the bill fair three ways for her to afford it, and that's now costing us more money.

We're still waiting for our passports at this point, it might all be academic if we get sent back anyway. The lady comes back out with our passports. The visa is a big sticker with a price printed on it, $20US. My moment of relief is short lived though when Nicki says, in no uncertain terms. "I am going to report you. What is your number? I am going to report you to the immigration department". There is a fumble and the lady turns back around and picks up our passports again to take them back into the room. "Oh, I see your badge has mysteriously vanished. What happened to your badge? What is your number?" My placating hand gestures are not doing the trick. We have missed a signature it turns out. We sign the cards and then the man calls us back in, "You have not completed the section on where you are staying". This is only a ploy though. He has changed desks, is smiley and more soft spoken than before. "Sir, (he's talking to me now) I am sorry that I got angry earlier, some times I get confused and I don't speak good English". In fact it has got noticeably worse since he last shouted at me. There follows a speech on Cambodia's struggle since the civil war ended only a decade ago. How many people in Cambodia are struggling to get by and how some people need a little extra money than there wages provide. He repeats, that he is telling us this so that should we encounter anyone like this, we know the reasons. "Don't have a cold heart sir". A few more assurances of good luck and 'thankyou very much'es and we were on our way in our over priced taxi, heading for Koh-Kong, where we would spend a night before moving on.

Sitting at dinner, with another couple we met in a restaurant, and keeping half an eye out to avoid the crazy lady, we discussed the incident and the apology of sorts. Nic and I had wondered if they picked the wrong couple of the day to try it on. How much do they earn, and do they try that scam very often? If they had made $20 off us each, would it have made any difference to their situation. We asked the other couple what they paid. 1,400 Baht each.